It happens quietly one August morning. As dawn's shimmering light drenches the humid Iowa air, two families awaken to find their little girls have gone missing in the night. Now these families are tied by the question of what happened to their children. And the answer is trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets.

A jewel

long and boring<br />

Overall

2 out of 5 stars

Performance

2 out of 5 stars

Story

2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-19-18

I had a hard time finishing this book. It was not only very slow moving but went on and on. I kept waiting for something to happen. Then the very last two chapters it started to move ever so slowly. I kept thinking, "why am I still listening to this?" long after I thought it should end, it continued meandering along. I really wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.

Did Jesus Exist?

The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth

By:
Bart D. Ehrman

Narrated by:
Walter Dixon

Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
269

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
234

Story

4 out of 5 stars
236

Large numbers of atheists, humanists, and conspiracy theorists are raising one of the most pressing questions in the history of religion: "Did Jesus exist at all?" Was he invented out of whole cloth for nefarious purposes by those seeking to control the masses? Or was Jesus such a shadowy figure - far removed from any credible historical evidence - that he bears no meaningful resemblance to the person described in the Bible? In
Did Jesus Exist? historian and Bible expert Bart Ehrman confronts these questions, vigorously defends the historicity of Jesus, and provides a compelling portrait of the man from Nazareth.

A rather mundane look at the existance of Jesus

As an atheist, I often wondered if the man Jesus actually existed. I feel that the book had some reliable proof of his existance, but it was presented in a long drawn out and sometimes redundant way.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Pretty Girl-13

By:
Liz Coley

Narrated by:
Nicola Barber

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
35

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
32

Story

4 out of 5 stars
33

In Liz Coley's alarming and fascinating psychological mystery, 16-year-old Angie Chapman must piece together the story of her kidnapping and abuse.
Pretty Girl-13 is a disturbing - and ultimately empowering - pause-resister about accepting our whole selves, and the healing power of courage, hope, and love.

Written for the young adult reader

Have you listened to any of Nicola Barber’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

probably not

Any additional comments?

Was an interesting story but I found my attention wanderting at times. I didn't see any where that it said for the young adult reader, but it was definitely written for a younger crowd. I have read nurmerous books about this subject which were much more in dept and informative, so this one was dissapointing.

Deconverted

A Journey from Religion to Reason

By:
Seth Andrews

Narrated by:
Seth Andrews

Length: 4 hrs and 51 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
829

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
760

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
755

Assertions like these seem comical until you realize that many Christian parents aren't kidding when they teach them to their children as facts. Every day, impressionable young minds are conditioned to blindly accept wild biblical tales of floating zoos, talking shrubbery, 900-year-old humans, the undead, curses, levitation, demon/human hybrids and men who obtain super-human strength from the length of their hair. Allegiance to these teachings is expected, often demanded.

A former Christian finds his way to reality.

Would you consider the audio edition of Deconverted to be better than the print version?

Never read the printed version but the audio was done very well. Kept my interest throughout and was often funny.

What other book might you compare Deconverted to and why?

First book I have read of it's kind so I can't compare.

Which scene was your favorite?

I actually enjoyed the whole book. I do wish he had dealt even further into what had made him change his mind having been so indoctrinated for so many years.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really. I have been an atheists since 13years old and have my own reason for why I am. However I have often wondered if someone who had been so involved in their religion as he apparently was, could change their beliefs and become an atheists.

Any additional comments?

Well worth the credit. In fact I plan on buying the book so I can refer to it when needed.

Jodi Picoult's poignant number one
New York Times best-selling novels about family and love tackle hot-button issues head on. In
The Storyteller, Sage Singer befriends Josef Weber, a beloved Little League coach and retired teacher. But then Josef asks Sage for a favor she never could have imagined - to kill him. After Josef reveals the heinous act he committed, Sage feels he may deserve that fate. But would his death be murder or justice?

Perfect title especially for the audio format!

a must read

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-09-13

What did you love best about The Storyteller?

I have read numerous books on the holocaust but this was the first one that I read that told some of the story from the view of the "other" side, as such. It was interesting but hard to listen to at times because of the brutality. Even though I have heard it many times it is still hard to hear again. I didn't really care much for the story within the story but it made more since at the end. It is certainly worth the read and although it was over 18hrs long I wanted to know even more about Minka life.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The character of Minka was well developed and interesting, it was hard not to like her. She was the Mensch that her Mother always told her to be.

Which scene was your favorite?

I would have to say that when she got the job inside I was so happy for her because I knew that life would be a little easier for her.

Any additional comments?

I kind of suspected that the ending, without giving it away, was going to happen. I guess I was more upset that she said what she did to him than what she actually ended up doing. I enjoyed the book enough that I will probably listen to it again someday.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Rainwater

By:
Sandra Brown

Narrated by:
Victor Slezak

Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
644

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
474

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
475

The year is 1934. With the country in the stranglehold of drought and economic depression, Ella Barron runs her Texas boardinghouse with an efficiency that ensures her life will be kept in balance. Between chores of cooking and cleaning for her residents, she cares for her 10-year-old son, Solly, a sweet but challenging child whose misunderstood behavior finds Ella on the receiving end of pity, derision, and suspicion.

life during the depression

I loved the fact that it told you a different aspect of life during the depression, how life continued with it's own personal problems,problems that had nothing to do with the depression.

What did you like best about this story?

The intertwining love story in the back ground and what resulted because of it. The intense love for a child lost in his own mind with a yet unnamed syndrome.

Which scene was your favorite?

Ella helping Mr. Rainwater who was covered in blood from butchering the cows that would help feed the starving people of shanty town.

Any additional comments?

This book was well written and kept my interest through out. It was difficult hearing about the corruption and abuse that was dealt to the poor white folks but even more to the poor black folks at that time. I didn't see the ending coming but was pleased that it ended the way it did.

Divergent

By:
Veronica Roth

Narrated by:
Emma Galvin

Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
31,472

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
28,108

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
28,306

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is - she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

It's not for me. Loved it anyway.

Written more for the young reader.

Overall

2 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-17-13

Would you try another book from Veronica Roth and/or Emma Galvin?

The narrator was quite good. Pleasant to listen to. As far as the book goes, not so much. Ms. Roth leads you to believe that there was an inherent danger to being a divergent, but then never really went anywhere with it. The story leads you to the big event it hinted at. Which turns out to be a take over and ultimately war. However the fighting was over as quickly as it started. It left you feeling like you just lost the school football game, rather than a war against the different factions. The different char. were so poorly developed, that when any of them was killed, you never really felt a sense of loss. The violence was there more for the shock value than adding to the story. I probably would not read another Veronica Roth story.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Handmaids tale

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

The Return

Book IV of Voyagers

By:
Ben Bova

Narrated by:
Stefan Rudnicki

Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
160

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
112

Story

4 out of 5 stars
111

After more than a century of exploring the stars, Keith Stoner returns to Earth to find that the world he has come back to does not match the one he left. The planet is suffering the consequences of disastrous greenhouse flooding. Most nations have been taken over by ultraconservative religion-based governments, such as the New Morality in the United States. With population ballooning and resources running out, Earth is heading for nuclear war.

5 out of 5 stars

Great story

Great story

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 06-05-10

Loved the book. So much of what he wrote about is right on target here, where I live. Religion rules the lives of many of these people here, most of which are very uneducated, poor, and having as many as 16 children. The story line keeped me interested through out. Wish I had started with the first in the series.